Sometimes, traveling just gets the best of you and this trip is really kicking my ass.

While I’ve had an amazing time so far, the multiple time zones and climates haven’t been kind to me. As lousy as I feel, I’d never pass up the opportunity to see all these amazing people — they just probably shouldn’t get closer to me than two feet. Clearly I need to pick up these supplies to get me through the rest of the trip.

Tonight, I’ll need to rally to make it to a fun event we go to every year, the North American International Auto Show Charity Preview. So no complaints . . . not that I could say them anyway as today I woke up with little more than a whisper coming from my trap. I’ll be sharing some snaps on Instagram and hopefully be back to a normal blogging schedule after the weekend. Thank god I don’t do vlogs, right?!

I remember the first time I had dim sum. It was actually back in Metro Detroit and well before my palate expanded enough to appreciate all the options. Now, when I think of dim sum, I can smell five spice and picture an endless array of dumplings and small plates. Damn, now I’m hungry again.

We enjoyed some wonderful dim sum in Taiwan and knew we had to make sure it was on the itinerary for our Hong Kong trip. Well, things got a bit more hectic than planned, so our dim sum moment happened just before I boarded my plane back to Tokyo at Maxim’s Jade Garden. It may have meant hurrying through the security line but it was worth it. Priorities. The pork buns above were my favorite.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to travel with an open mind when it comes to trying the local food. You may find your new favorite dish or cross something off your list so you never have to eat it again, but it’s one of the best ways to experience a culture.

Spicy cucumbers. Another favorite we get everywhere. In Japan as well.

Good morning from Hong Kong! Yesterday was a long travel day that ended with my arriving at our hotel just before midnight. That being said, the sun is shining and I’m looking forward to getting out there a bit, since Craig will be working all day. First impressions: So. Many. Skyscrapers.

OK, so it’s a little bit beautiful here, right?! We were worried by reports of non-stop thunderstorms, but like most tropical islands we’ve been to, that usually means a little rain each day and plenty of sun. Hopefully I didn’t just jinx us.

Today is Craig’s birthday so we’re getting ready to go out and explore for a bit. Check back later today for a post about what it’s been like celebrating birthdays away from friends and family and how we’ve created new traditions for these special days here in Japan. And, of course, more sights from Okinawa!

One of the most important aspects of visiting a new place is learning about its history. While visiting Saipan, we had an opportunity to explore a part of our own history, as well as the history of the island’s native people and of the Japanese. It was an experience we didn’t expect to have but are so glad we took the time to look into.

Craig and I admittedly knew next to nothing about Saipan before booking our trip there. Located in the Northern Mariana Islands, Saipan is less than 50 square miles in size. If you look it up on a map, its neighbors are other small islands, including Guam, along with the Pacific Ocean and Philippine Sea. If isolation isn’t your thing, avoid Googling.

Saipan played a crucial role in World War II by becoming the battleground for American and Japanese forces in June and July of 1944. This pivotal clash was a turning point in the war that resulted in the loss of more than 40,000 soldiers and civilians. Due to the high number of civilian deaths, some estimates have even pegged the total exceeding 50,000.

We learned more about the Battle of Saipan by visiting the American Memorial Park in Garapan, which honors the Americans and natives of the island who lost their lives in the battle. The beautiful and spacious grounds include a Flag Circle engraved with the names of the deceased and a museum with artifacts from the war. What we appreciated most about the museum was how it presented both sides of the conflict — both the American and Japanese perspective — to help visitors fully understand the events that transpired.

Upon returning to Japan, we learned I have relatives who were stationed on Saipan during the war, which made the experience much more significant to me. With a brother-in-law who is also a veteran, I’ll never pass up the chance to honor their sacrifice and take a moment to consider the freedoms I enjoy because of it. Taking the time to learn the story of somewhere you visit can only deepen your appreciation for the people you meet there and the welcome reception you receive.

When it comes to travel, Craig and I have had relatively few hiccups on our adventures. We pride ourselves on being fanatical, type-A planners and it’s paid off. We’ve had more issues –delays, lost luggage, etc. — traveling domestically than internationally.

Sooner or later, that luck was bound to run out. Sure enough, it did one week ago when we were informed at the check-in gate our trip to Vietnam wasn’t happening. A misunderstanding about visa requirements — you need a signed letter from the embassy to pick one up when you land — forced us to change course to save our trip meant to mark our second wedding anniversary.

I like to think of myself as someone who knows how to problem solve and think on her feet. Years of living in strange big cities have taught me to take a step back, exhale and find a solution. But I admittedly was ready to throw in the towel pretty quick once we heard the letter couldn’t be rushed. Craig, on the other hand, fueled by the tears of his wife who straight-up lost it after an hour on the phone with Expedia, refused to completely cancel our adventure. “We’re going somewhere,” he told me and marched over to a Delta agent. When we came back, he suggested Saipan, in the Mariana Islands, and within 20 minutes we had a flight and hotel booked to an island neighboring Guam we knew little about, accept that the pictures were gorgeous and it was a U.S. commonwealth, so no visa was needed. Done.

Sometimes you have to make lemons out of lemonade and this is exactly what this trip became. Once we landed, we learned a typhoon had wiped out the island’s Internet, which meant a week of unexpected inactivity on this space and calling for some long-distance favors from my dad to set email away messages and contact editors. We also ended up with money we couldn’t exchange.

But the trip reminded us of something two tech-obsessed journalists can easily forget: To unplug and live in the moment. We had each other and that was all that mattered. You don’t need Instagram to prove a view was gorgeous or your food was delicious. Be sure to check back tomorrow for a special Saipan edition of “6 Happy Sights” for some of those great moments from our trip.

So, when life finally dishes out your dose of lemons, make lemonade — hell, with vodka, if you can — and make it an adventure. You won’t regret it.

One of the highlights of our trip to Taiwan last month was the hike along the Zhuilu Old Trail in the Taroko National Park. It was a day that still gives me chills to think about — I can now cross “crying out of fear” off my list of emotions to experience — but I’m so glad we did it. Everyone needs experiences that push limits. As far as voluntary, recreational activities go, this was mine.

I’m not a hiker. I’m not even remotely outdoorsy. So when our friend Jason suggested this hike, one Google image search was all it took to nearly shit my pants. Look up more photos after you’re done reading this and you’ll see what I mean.

I spent the weeks and days leading up to the trip trying not to think about it. When a typhoon rolled into town at the start of our trip, I admittedly breathed a sigh of relief thinking it would be cancelled. No such luck. Our guide picked us up in the morning and we spent the next six hours scaling the Zhuilu Old Trail, the fog providing a welcome mental security blanket, even if it did obscure the view.

The hike is pretty intense on the way up with lots of stairs, so I wouldn’t recommend it to someone who isn’t very athletic. But once you get to the top, the sweating, and in my case the wheezing, are well worth it.

We were 500 meters above ground at the highest point of the trail, walking along a path only about 70 cm wide. The way down was a bit scary for me. I’m not afraid of heights per se, but I am afraid of tripping and falling over the edge to my death. Same thing?

Let’s put it this way, I’m a former dancer and I know I’m clumsy. They say dancers don’t know how to use their own two feet without choreography. But I kept Lady Gaga’s anthem in my head and kept going.

I had one bad slip that, to me, felt like it was my turn to sign off and prepare for the eternal nap. Thankfully, my brave and selfless husband jumped over to stop me and all was well, even if I did cry about it for a few minutes. He maintains this wasn’t as close a call as I remember.

All in all, I’m still glad we did it. As I told my friends and family, I can check Taroko National Park and the Zhuilu Old Trail off the bucket list I didn’t know I had, and that’s why traveling with other people is such a blessing. They invite you on new experiences and help you make memories you’ll never forget.

The moral of the story? Be brave. Go outside your comfort zone. And invest in some damn hiking boots.

P.S.
A big thank you to Jason for his amazing shots! Those are his feet in the top pic.

I’m back in Michigan after a long day of traveling yesterday and am doing my best not to let this jet lag kick my ass. I powered through after my 11-hour flight to stay awake until everyone in my house went to bed. I was up for more than 30 hours by the time I finally laid down but I slept through the night, which is a win. The trippiest part about going back to Michigan for me is that I’m literally going back in time, so I got to have not one Monday, but TWO. Now if that doesn’t mess you up, I’m not sure what would.

It was a fantastic moment when I stepped out of the car and my nephew ran to give me a hug, calling me “Pejo,” his nickname for me. I have a tough first name, so my sister came up with Pejo for Petra Joann, with Joann being my middle name. I was getting a bit discouraged as Nolan picked up on everyone else’s nicknames but then, like magic, he just got it one day and Auntie Pejo was born. No matter how tired I am, how stressed about work and navigating changing time zones, it’s all worth it for moments like that.

I’ll be posting as much as possible while I’m home so stay tuned. I can’t wait to share more of my favorite “Pure Michigan” places and snaps from my time with family and friends, including my new buddy you see above, Max. He’s my grandmother’s cat who we’re watching for a while. Isn’t he precious?!

The second half of our week in Taiwan was no less action-packed than the first. After the thrill/terror of our hike, we were ready to tackle as much as possible on flat ground.

After leaving Jhongpu, we started the long ascent up to Alishan for the most amazing view of a sunrise I’ve ever seen — well worth the 3 a.m. wakeup. Wide awake, we spent the hours after sunrise hiking a much safer path through the beautiful mountains. Once lunchtime rolled around and all the tourists rolled in, we made our descent.

The last two days were spent in Taipei trying to cram as many remaining sights and meals as we could before the end of the trip. We ate lots more shaved ice and even went shrimp fishing (so many Forrest Gump jokes).

When it was time to say goodbye to Karen and Jason, I was my mother’s daughter. I couldn’t help but get emotional after such a fantastic adventure. Craig and I are blessed to have such a diverse group of fantastic people to call friends we can see the world with. We can’t wait to plan our next journey.

Craig decided to try some stinky tofu before we left Jhongpu. I passed. The smell . . .

Making our way to Alishan. The unofficial Trudell Christmas card photo.

Catching the early train to watch the sunrise.

The money shot. Absolutely breathtaking.

What do you do when you’re up that early? Hike your way back down, of course.

Another gorgeous temple, found in the mountains.

Tea plantations seen on the drive back down.

Drooling over Peking duck at Brother Hotel in Taipei, where we had some delicious dim sum.

One more trip back to Ice Monster. Adding the sweetened condensed milk. A must.

Scoping out the goods at the enormous Jianguo Holiday Flower and Jade Market.

I decided against a bracelet after a very friendly but persistent saleswoman gave me a slightly painful demonstration of how to put it on. I opted for this beauty instead. My first piece of jade!

Blown away by the sea of colors in the flower market.

The souvenir we’re now trying to ration out: The insanely delectable pineapple cakes from Chia Te Bakery. I’m bringing an extra suitcase for these next time.

The sight that needs no introduction: Taipei 101. Sadly, we couldn’t get to the top this time because of the crazy wait.

The beautiful detail on one of the theaters at the grounds of Chiang-Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, also the main picture of this post.

Going for the gold at Shilin Night Market, our final night market of the trip. So crowded!

Squid, anyone?

This gentleman was making several oyster omelets at once.

We couldn’t pass on this oreo and baked pudding shaved ice.

Our last night ended with the most bizarre activity: shrimp fishing (shrimping?). Karen was the only one to succeed in landing a catch. A nice woman — every Taiwanese person we met was very nice — donated some of her impressive catch to us to cook and eat.

Our trip to Taiwan can easily be summed up in one word: whirlwind. From the moment we touched down in Taipei, our friends Karen and Jason (who is Taiwanese and has family there) scooped us up and took us on a parade of their favorite sights and the essential tourist spots.

Only hours after arriving we were off to Hualien to tackle the Old Jhuilu Trail in the Taroko Gorge. After that, we were back on the road for a quick stopovers in Taichung and Puli and then out to Jhongpu, where Jason’s family lives. Whew, getting tired again just typing it!

This first half of our journey was filled with incredible food and an adventure I’m quite frankly still recovering from, but it was so worth it. All good vacations get your heart pumping, your mind racing and your feet sore. Am I right?

Part two coming tomorrow!

The very cool Taipei Main Station.

We found some delicious grilled seafood at our first street market.

Check out the size of that oyster!

The beautiful Taroko National Park. Thanks to Jason for this shot.

Now you can get an idea of what I’m recovering from. Novice hiker that I am, I decided to hike up into the clouds . . . in Nikes. Sorry about the fog — it quelled my fears just a bit. More pictures from the hike coming soon.

Back on the train to head to Taichung.

More soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, at the place that started it all, Din Tai Fung. I could eat these everyday forever.

Where the magic happens.

The enormous Chung Tai Chan Monastery in Puli.

Buddha. Just one of the towering figures throughout the main hall.

Jason took us on a walk through Jhongpu to see where his aunt grows papayas. Man the fruit was good out in the country.

Found this little guy on a bridge.

Quite literally stumbled upon this amazing temple. All the colors and detail . . . just spectacular.

Just look at that ceiling!

This nice man who looks after the temple invited us to sit and made us some tea. He told us he brought out the good stuff and he wasn’t kidding.